I personally never understood the idea of an objective. Usually it's pretty well understood what you want to do. Plus, normally people include it in their cover letter.

If you're looking for summer employment, just call firms or stop by late in the afternoon and ask if they need any help. Personal contact does more than simply mailing in a sheet of paper.

thanks for the responses--- they are very helpful

Leave it off.
Explain your desires succinctly in your cover letter. And, please try to find the name of the appropriate person to address your letter. I hate receiving "form" cover letters! Shows lack of effort.

1. Leave off the whole category of "Objective." Also leave out the line "references available upon request." Everybody's references are supposed to be available upon request. It's a given.

2. As redchairs said, find out the correct name of the person to whom to address your materials. But do this by phoning the firm, not looking at the website. Websites are frequently out of date.

3. While you're at it check the firm's address. I had a colleague who kept using a firm's former address on his correspondence. The post office forwarded the stuff to them and they called him to schedule an interview. Unfortunately he never found out they'd moved until he went to the interview - at the old address. By the time he figured this out and called them they were angry and told him that he didn't have the "attention to detail" necessary for the job.